Kevin Harvick signs long-term deal with Stewart-Haas Racing – Nascar

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Stewart-Haas Racing announced Thursday that it has signed Kevin Harvick to a long-term contract extension, scuttling any outlying speculation about his future with the team. Details of the deal were not released.

Harvick, 40, is in his third year with the SHR No. 4 Chevrolet team and crew chief Rodney Childers. Harvick won his first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship in 2014, his first year with the operation co-owned by Tony Stewart and Gene Haas.

“It was a big decision to join Stewart-Haas Racing and it has turned out to be my best decision,” Harvick said in a release provided by the team. “I came to Stewart-Haas Racing to win championships. We have one, but that only made us hungry for more. I’m very happy to have my future secure with a team so dedicated to winning.”

Thursday’s news quashes speculation that Harvick might leave the team, which is moving from Chevrolet to Ford for the 2017 season. Harvick has made 550 starts in NASCAR’s top division, all in Chevrolets.

“Kevin’s results speak for themselves, and in addition to those numbers, he brings a presence to our team that makes everyone want to work harder,” Stewart said in the release. “Kevin Harvick has made Stewart-Haas Racing a better team and he will continue to be an integral part of our future.”

Childers signed a multi-year contract with the No. 4 team last June. Thursday’s announcement promises to keep one of the series’ most successful driver-crew chiefs pairings together for the indefinite future.

Harvick has notched nine of his 32 career Sprint Cup wins in Stewart-Haas equipment. Since making the transition to SHR, he has finished first (2014) and second (2015) in the driver standings, and ranks as the top point-earner so far this season.

Harvick will address the media Friday at 1:15 p.m. ET in the media center at Charlotte Motor Speedway, site of Saturday night’s NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race (9 p.m. ET, FS1, MRN, SiriusXM). Video of the news conference will be live-streamed on NASCAR.com.